ENGL 1101: Introduction to University Writing1
2 Reverse Outline (Reference)
Reverse Outline (Reference)
Topic and Main Ideas:
Capture the core purpose of the article.
Why did the author write this article? What did they want us to know?
Topic:
State the topic or question the author is interested in.
Main Idea:
State the main message or argument. What does the author say about the topic?
Key Points:
Filter the article content until you find the two or three key points that are developed in the discussion. Each of these key ideas might develop over several paragraphs, but could be summarized in a sentence or two.
You do not need to summarize every detail. You do not need to summarize the information in every paragraph.
For each of these key points, note the content and the function.
The content is the actual point that the author expresses.
The function is the role that point plays in the article. Is the point an example to help develop the argument? Is the point key background information that we need in order to understand the argument? To identify the function, ask yourself why the author has included this information in the article.
Key Point #1
Content:
Function:
Key Point #2
Content:
Function:
Key Point #3
Content:
Function:
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